WOMEN are still "massively" under-represented in positions of influence in business, the police, media and senior judiciary even though more are working than ever before, new research revealed today.

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) issued a fresh challenge for barriers to women's progress to be dismantled this year in a bid to make the UK a fairer society.

The lives of people in this country were changing, with women having babies later and men spending more time with their children, but decision-makers were still overwhelmingly male, research found.

In a report, Sex and Power: Who Runs Britain?, the EOC said women made up just 7% of the senior judiciary, 7% of senior police officers, 9% of top business leaders and 9% of national newspaper editors.

Women accounted for 23% of top management in the civil service and 18% of MPs, but sex equality was "far from sorted", the commission complained.

EOC chairwoman Julie Mellor said: "Almost 30 years since the Sex Discrimination Act was passed, women are still massively under-represented in positions of influence in Britain.

"No-one can argue any more that it's just a matter of time until more women make it to the top - there have been talented women coming up in business, public life and politics for years."

"Recent media commentary on the honours system has also highlighted the low numbers of women to receive senior honours. This reflects a wider problem that won't be resolved until Britain's leaders act to make sure women are not prevented from getting to the top."

The report said that most organisations had the same kind of people in the driving seat, leaving public, political and business life in Britain "massively unrepresentative" of society.

"It's not democratic, it's not balanced and it's not good for business. Open the door of any boardroom or council chamber and the chances are that most people around the table will be men."

The EOC said its report contained the first wide ranging collection of data on women's representation in senior positions in politics, public life and business.

"Society would be better off if women were just as likely as men to be in senior positions. But as things stand, there are real barriers to women reaching the top.

"The way work is organised assumes that people don't have caring responsibilities."

Women were often prevented from reaching the top of their profession because of the UK's long hours culture and too little flexibility in working patterns, said the EOC.

Employers were urged to promote flexible working, and the EOC added that positive action should be used where women were under-represented in public life.

Women made up 45% of the workforce and 30% of managers, but boardrooms remained overwhelmingly male, the report showed.